Photo: Stevo Rood

On Friday, June 20, Billy Strings took the stage at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., without his band or instrument. Head bowed, and microphone in hand, he addressed the audience, “I’m gonna do my best to make it through this. This is probably gonna be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. You know, how tonight’s gonna turn out is kind of up in the air. It all depends on how much strength I can muster and how much I can lean on you all.” 

“Last night we played up in Michigan, where I’m from, at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival,” he continued, referencing the performance that included his dad, Terry Barber. “After our set, we drove through the night, and I finally fell asleep once we got parked here in Lexington. Probably about 5:40 this morning, or so, I might have gotten three hours of sleep… I was in a deep sleep, and my wife woke me up this morning and told me my beautiful mother, Debra Apostol, had passed away in her sleep.”

“So I just put my shoes on and started walking. And I walked until I found this old country church. It was like a beacon. And I went there and knocked on the door, and this kind lady let me in. She stayed with me and prayed with me for a while, and eventually gave me a ride back to where I was staying. ” Wiping tears from his eyes, the crowd encouraged Strings with hoots and hollers to inspire strength. 

“It was my decision to carry on with tonight’s show, because that’s what my mom would have wanted me to do. And she really loved this group of people, she loved y’all so much, and the last couple of years were some of her happiest because of a lot of you folks right here. And you all became some of her best friends, and I really want to thank you for that.”

“You all showed her a lot of kindness, whether she was out on the lot or bopping around here at the shows, you know? The reason I decided not to go home and be with my family right now is because I already am,” Strings said, visibly impacted by the sentiment of his own words, which weighed heavily with emotion. 

“I spent most of today in a daze, and I just want you to know, I’m going to do my best for tonight’s show. And, also, if you’re just casually coming to tonight’s show, and you’re like, ‘What the fuck is going on right now?’ I’m sorry, but we’re a family right here. If you’re going through some shit, I’m going through it too, and tonight I need you. So, please, instead of a moment of silence, can you please make as much noise right now for my mom?”

As the crowd erupted, seemingly waking the heavens, Strings felt the capacity of the moment. He ultimately used his stage time to honor his mother in song, pulling out tributes using borrowed material that took the form of her favorites, from The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” and “Rocky Raccoon” to Pearl Jam’s “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” and “In Hiding.” 

Leaning into originals, Strings pondered his past on “Must Be Seven,” “Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You,” which set the tone for heavy hitters, and the night’s encore, the traditional spiritual song “Standing In The Need Of Prayer,” and the Home feature “Freedom.” 

Night two, Saturday, June 21, commenced with a solo Strings on the Delmore’s “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” before all but Royal Masat arrived on “Soldier’s Joy” and “Roll On Buddy, Roll On.” Technical difficulties during the onset of the frame were to blame for Masat’s absence, though he was back for the set’s fourth placement, “Sharecropper’s Son.” In spite of the problematic start, the group packed set one with 16 movements, including Bad Livers’ “Lumpy, Beanpole, & Dirt,” with a tease of “Death Trips.”

The latter half of the night began with “Heartbeat of America, “ and went on to muster Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue.” Eventually, the full band, minus Alex Hargreaves, huddled around a single might and gave weight to “Richard Petty,” and Bobby Davidson scribed “If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart.” 

Before ending their time in Lexington, Ky., the group divided their two-song encore into a one cover and an original, producing the Jimmy Martin release, “Freeborn Man,” and his own, “Gild the Lily.” After a heavy weekend for Strings, he will remain off the road till July 15, when he arrives in Melbourne for the Australia/ New Zealand leg of his tour. Tickets remain on sale. 

Scroll down to view setlists from the weekend. For more information on Billy Strings, visit his official website.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Billy Strings (@billystrings)

Billy Strings
Rupp Arena – Lexington, Ky.
June 20, 2025

Set I: I’ve Just Seen The Rock Of Ages1,2, The Fire On My Tongue > Bronzeback, Away From The Mire, My Alice, Here Comes The Sun, Rocky Raccoon, Ain’t Nothing To Me, New Camptown Races, Love and Regret, I’d Like To Be A Train, Ready For The Times To Get Better, Hide and Seek

Set II: In the Clear, Walk On Boy, Must Be Seven > Pyramid Country > Secrets, Dos Banjos3, Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You4., Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, In Hiding, End Of The Rainbow, Enough To Leave, There Is A Time

Enc.: Standing In The Need Of Prayer5, Freedom5

Notes via billybase.com:

1. Show opened with the crowd making a lot of noise for Billy’s mom, Debra Apostol, who this show is dedicated to.
2. Last Time Played 2024-10-18 | 54 show gap
3. Dos Billys (Billy Strings on clawhammer banjo and Billy Failing on banjo)
4. Billy Strings on a Martin Grand J-28E, Royal Masat on a Nord Stage 3 88-Key Keyboard & Billy Failing on Masterton ML-1: Missing Link Béla Fleck Baritone Banjo
5. Full band around single mic

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Billy Strings (@billystrings)

Billy Strings

Rupp Arena – Lexington, Ky. 

June 21, 2025 

Set I: Brown’s Ferry Blues1, Soldier’s Joy2, Roll On Buddy, Roll On3, Sharecropper’s Son4, On The Line > Train 45, While I’m Waiting Here, Long Forgotten Dream, Show Me The Door

Escanaba, The Train That Carried My Girl From Town > Black Mountain Rag, Seven Weeks in County, Home, Lumpy, Beanpole, & Dirt5 >Everything’s The Same

Set II: Heartbeat Of America, In The Morning Light, Tangled Up In Blue, Slow Train, Richard Petty6, If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart6, Meet Me At The Creek, Shady Grove, Highway Hypnosis, The Beginning of the End

Enc.: Freeborn Man, Gild the Lily

Notes:

1. Billy Strings solo
2. Minus Royal
3. Full band (minus Royal) around single mic
4. Last Time Played 2024-08-02 | 68 show gap
5. “Death Trip” (Bad Livers) tease
6. Full band (minus Alex) around single mic